Fastening device



Nov. 4-, 1952 H c HOLDEN 2,6l6,135

FASTENING DEVICE Filed Dec. 29, 1949 5 I lnven'to z L Her-'old C. Holden, 'f /IIIIIIII//IIIIL` His Attorney.

Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENING DEVICE New York Application December-29, 1949, Serial. No. 135,680

(Cl. .ZO-92.4)

3'Claims.

My invention 'relatesto iastening devices and, more particularly, to uni-tary iastening devices adapted securely to hold complementary members in abutting relationship.

In certain instances, it is necessary to 'hold a plurality of members such as panels-or the like in interfitting relationsh-ip 'with a minimum of frontal area occupied by the fastening means. such a requirement, for example, arises in certain cabinet structures wherein a metal panel forming the front face of the cabinet is to be fastened to the main body of the cabinet, but because of space limitations determined by the styling of the cabinet it is impractical to use conventional fastening means such as self-tapping screws, snap fasteners and thelike. Accordingly, it is a primary object of my invention to provide a fastening device for clamping together a pair of. members wherein a minimum of frontal area is occupied by such device.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a new and improved fastening device adapted. to fasten together two complementary members which may be quickly and easily assembled.

It is another object of my invention to provide a new and improved fastening device which is suitable for holding a front panel to the main body of a cabinet which is of simple construction and isof low cost.

The features of my invention which I believe to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a cabinet structure employing my improved fastening device; Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the fastening device, per se; Fig. 3 is a top view of the structure of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of the structure of Fig. 1 showing the method of insertion of the fastener; Fig. 5 is an elevational View of Fig. 1 showingthe method of removal of the fastener; Fig. 6 is a perspective View of an alternative form of the astener of Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 illustrates the alternative device of Fig. 6, embodied in a cabinet structure.

Referring' now more particularly to the drawing', the unitary fastening device I is shown therein as clamping a 'front panel 2, which is shown in fragmentary form to a supporting member 3, also shown in fragmentary form. The i support member 3, which may be (of any suitable material such as plastc, or the like, is provided With an upstanding sill portion a against which the lower edge of the panel 2 is p ressed through the action of the device l. The support member 3 is provided with a, pair of spaced parallel bosses 5 which are preferably made integralwith support 3 and extend away from the sill portion i in a direction perpendicular thereto. The "adjacent edges of the bosses 5 are providedwith undercut portions so'that the bosses 5 together with the surface of support 3 form. a dovetail.

roove;

The Construction of the unitary fastening device l is illustrated more clearly in. Fig. 2, wherein it is seen that the device lis provided with a'fia-t base portion [0 and a tongue: portion H which is nar-rower than'` thebase portion ll) and extends upwardly at an angle d" from one end of 'the base portion. A tab l2 is formed' in the fastener I intermediate the base and' tongue portions H), l l.

When the fastener I is in the assembled relation shownin Fig. 1 the tongue portion 'l-l is pressed against the inside surface of the panel 2 and causes a tilting of the base portion o thereof within the dovetail groove. As a result of such tilting action, the shoulders 'l which are intermediate the base portion I'll and tongue portion ll are urged into wedging engagement with the undercut surfaces 6 so as securely to hold' the tongue portion H in .position. Likewise, due to'such tilting action, the lower edge 8 of the base portion w is 'wedgedagainst the surface of the support member 3 so as' to' provide additional clamping: action. The length "b of the base portion in is' preferably made sufliciently small that the base portion may 'tilt by a substantial angle before the'shoulders 'l and edge '8 engage' the edges of the dovetail groove, thereby increasing the Wedging action' exerted' by' the base portion ill.

e The width "a" of the base portion I'll of the fastener is made sumciently great so that the base portion may be slid' into the dovetail groove formed in the support member 3. This is well illustrated in Fig. 3 which is a plan view of the fastener and cabinet structure of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the positioning of the base portion lllwth respect to the bosses 5, and it is evident'th'at the end portions of the base lslide under the edges of the bosses 5. The width "c" of* the tongue' portion l l of the fastener is made somewhat less than the spacing between 'bosses 5 so that the" may engage the inside surface of the panel 2, as discussed above.

The fastener I may be assembled with and removed from the panel 2 and support member 3 in a manner illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. Referring to Fig. 4, the base portion O of the fastener is first slid within the dovetail groove formed in the support 3 by bosses 5. In such position, the tongue portion I! of the fastener projects through the opening of the groove at an angle with respect to the base portion thereof. A wide faced tool !5 is then placed in engagement with the underside of the tab [2, and force is exerted in the direction of the arrow IB to slide the base portion toward the panel 2. Upon the application of such force, the tongue portion ll is urged into spring engagement with th inside surface of panel 2, and when sufficient force is exerted thereby the pressure on the tool may be removed. When the pressure is removed, the base portion I& is tilted in the dovetail groove due to the resilient action of tongue I I which urges the upper and lower edges of the base portion e into wedging engagement With the sides of the dovetail groove as has been discussed in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

The removal of the fastener may be accomplish d as is illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein an application tool [1 having a hooked end portion a is placed in engagement with the upper surface of the tab !2. Force is then exerted downwardly on the tip [8 in the direction of the arrow IS, and at the same time a pulling force in the direction of the arrow is exerted on the fastener so that the edges of the base portion s are freed from the sides of the dovetail groove and the fastener is slid outwardly from panel 2 so as to remove the tensioning force of the tongue portion of the fastener.

Inasmuch as the wedging action is obtained by engagement with the cabinet and without the use of auxiliary speed screws and the like, the unitary fastening device is particularly suitable for use in cabinets of plastic Construction. However, it will b'e understood that a unitary fastening device constructed in accordance With my invention may be equally well employed in other types of cabinets, such as wood, composition and the like.

The fastening device of Fig. 1 may be modified so as to provide proper clamping action in a variety of circumstances. For example, the tongue portion of the fastener may be modified as is illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein the tongue portion ll is provided With an upstanding portion and a fiat portion 26 which is substantially parallel to the base portion l of the clip. By such an arrangement, a member 21 which may-comprise the edge of a loud Speaker or any similar object may be clamped in place as well as held in upright position.

The modified fastener of Fig. 6 may be used to support and clamp various objects within the cabinet in a, manner illustrated in Fig. 7, wherein there is shown a side elevational view of a portion of the radio cabinet together with a loud Speaker mounted in place by means of the modified fastener of Fig. 6. The base member and front panel of the' cabinet have been given the same reference numerals as in Fig. 1, and further reference need not be made thereto in connection with Fig. 7. The top panel 30 of the cabinet is provided With a pair of bosses 31 which are shaped so as to define a dovetail groove in the manner of the bosses 5 of Fig. 1. The front panel 2 is provided with a shelf 32 on which the lower rim of a loud speaker 33 may rest; the rim of the loud speaker being cushioned in a rubber block 34. The upper edge of the Speaker 33 is cushioned in a rubber pad 35 and is held in place by means of a fastener 36 which is shaped similarly to the fastener of Fg. 6. It Will be evident that the fastener may be clamped within the cabinet by exerting a forward pressure on the fastener 36 so as to move the base portion thereof forward and exert a spring pressure thereon so as to tilt the base portion o within the groove between bosses 31, thereby wedging the same securely within the groove between bosses 3l.

While I have illustrated my improved fastener as clamping the loud speaker of a radio apparatus, it will be obvious that the fastener may equally well be employed in many other arrangements in which two members are to be clamped together by applying pressure externally thereof which tends to hold said members in abutting relationship.

While the invention has been described by reference to particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood that numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. I therefore aim in the appended claims to cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A clamped assembly comprising a base member having a transverse sill, a panel member abutting said sill, said base member also having means defining a pair of spaced, opposed walls extending under and away from the abutting surfaces of said panel member and sill in a direction perpendicular thereto, said walls being inclined to each other so as to dene a dovetailed groove wider at its bottom than at its top, and a unitary fastening device comprising a fiat base portion and a resilient tongue portion inclined at an angle to said base portion, said base portion being positioned within said groove and having a width smaller than the bottom width and greater than the top Width of said groove, said tongue portion having a width narrower than the to width of said groove and extending upwardly through the top of the groove, said tongue portion being urged against said panel member and clamping said panel member between said sill and said tongue, and said base portion being tilted within said groove into wedging engagement with the inclined walls of the dovetail groove.

2. In combination, a base member having a transverse sill, a panel abutting said sill, said base member also including means defining a pair of spaced, opposed walls extending away fromsaid sill in a direction perpendicular thereto, said walls being inclined to each other so as to define a dovetailed groove wider at its bottom than at its top, and a unitary fastening device having a substantially rectangular, fiat, base portion positioned within said groove and a resilient tongue portion extending upwardly at an angle to said base portion, the width of said base portion being intermediate the top and bottom widths of said dovetailed groove and the width of said tongue portion being less than the top width of said groove so that said'base portion has a pair of sharp corners adjacent said upwardly-extending tongue portion, said tongue portion engaging said panel and -clamping said panel to said sill, and said base portion being tilted within said groove so as to force said sharp corners into wedgng engagement with theinclined walls of said groove.

3. In a cabinet the combination of a base member having a sill, a panel abutting said sill, means defining a dovetailed groove in said base member extending away from said sill in a direction perpendicular thereto, and a unitary fastening device having a fiat base portion positioned within said groove and a resilient tongue portion extendng upwardly at an angle to said base portion, the width of said base portion being intermediate the top and bottom widths of said dovetailed groove, the width of said tongue portion being less than the top width of said groove so that said tongue portion extends upwardly REFERENCES CITED The following references are 'of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,741,743 straubel Dec. 31, 1929 2,415,054 Well Jan. 28, 19 17 

